KWSO News 01/04/2019

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in December approved a new memorandum of understanding with the Oregon Department of Transportation, the vital document for the Tribal Employment Rights Office, or TERO, according to the Spilyay Tymoo. The agreement replaces the original Warm Springs TERO-ODOT agreement of March 2017. The jurisdiction of the Warm Springs TERO, based at the Ventures offices at the industrial park, includes the reservation, and an area surrounding the reservation. The TERO has jurisdiction over federally-funded transportation projects in this large area of the region. The purpose is to provide fair consideration and access to construction and other employment opportunities for tribal members.

The annual Elks Hoop Shoot is coming up Saturday, January 12 at the Jefferson County Middle School. Registration starts at noon and the contest will start at one. The Hoop Shoot is open to boys and girls ages 8-13 based on age on April 1. Winners will advance to the District Hoop Shoot in Prineville later in January.

The 2019 Movin’ Mountain Slimdown Challenge starts up this month and will run through mid May. The challenge is open to anyone 18 years or older who lives or works on the Warm Springs Reservation or elsewhere in Jefferson County. They will take registrations and beginning assessments in Warm Springs on January 17 at the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center. There will be additional registration and assessments at the Jefferson County Public Health Department in Madras on January 18 & 19.  Last year was the biggest numbers of participants since Movin’ Mountains began.

A new era begins for Indian Country as the first two Native women — Deb Haaland from New Mexico and Sharice Davids from Kansas — are sworn into office today. The two were part of the wave that elected over 100 women to Congress, a record number of women than in any previous election. Both were elected in congressional districts that have small American Indian populations, Native News Online reports.